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GLOSSARY

Aggregate level data collection

An aggregate level data collection contains data from statistical entities that are grouped together and summed into broader categories.

Attendance

For the purposes of the Collection, a child is considered to be attending a preschool program if the child was enrolled and present for at least one hour during the reference period. Children who did not attend a preschool program during the reference period (e.g. children who were absent due to illness or extended holiday leave) are not considered to have attended a preschool program.

Enrolment

A child is considered to be enrolled if they were offered a place and has formally enrolled or registered in the preschool program and:

• attended the preschool program for at least one hour during the reference period; or
• were absent during the reference period due to illness or extended holiday leave, but were expected to return.

• Aboriginal but not Torres Strait Islander origin
• Torres Strait Islander but not Aboriginal origin
• Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin
• Neither Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin
• Not stated/inadequately described.

Government managed:
State and territory and local government managed: State and territory and local government managed services are services that are managed by the state, territory or local government. Excludes state and territory government schools.
State and territory government schools: State and territory government schools are schools that are funded and managed by the respective state or territory government.

Non-government managed:
Private not-for-profit - community managed: Community managed services include services that are managed by organisations based in the community through a membership made up of community members (e.g. the parents). The membership elects a management committee and the committee is accountable to the membership. No profit is distributed to the management committee or the members, and any surplus funds are redirected to the service.
Private not-for-profit - other organisations: Other organisations include services that are managed by non-profit organisations such as charity organisations, consortium of charity organisations and church groups. Excludes Independent and Catholic schools.
Private for-profit: Private for-profit services include for-profit services provided or managed by a company or private individual.
Independent schools: Independent schools are non-government schools that are governed, managed and accountable at the level of the individual school and are not affiliated with the diocesan Catholic Education Office.
Catholic schools: Catholic schools are schools that are affiliated with the diocesan Catholic Education Office. Catholic schools, as with other classes of non-government schools, receive funding from the Australian Government.
Other: Other services include employer sponsored services.

Long Day Care (LDC): LDC is a centre-based form of child care service providing all-day or part-time care for children of working families and the general community (services may cater to specific groups within the general community). For-profit and not-for-profit organisations, local councils, community organisations and employers may run these services. LDCs primarily provide LDC services for children aged 0-5 years. Some LDCs may also provide preschool and kindergarten programs and care for school children before and after school and during school holidays, where state and territory government regulations allow this. The service may operate from stand-alone or shared premises, including those on school grounds.
Occasional care: Occasional care comprises services usually provided at a centre on an hourly or sessional basis for short periods or at irregular intervals for parents who need time to, for example, attend appointments, take care of personal matters, undertake casual and part time employment, study or have temporary respite from full-time parenting. These services provide developmental activities for children and are aimed primarily at 0-5 year olds. Centres providing these services usually employ a mix of qualified and other staff.
Preschool program: stand-alone: Preschool program (stand-alone) comprises separately located services dedicated to provide structured educational programs to children in the year before they commence full-time schooling only.
Preschool program: as part of a school: Preschool program (as part of school) comprises services that are co-located with a school that provides structured educational programs to children in the year before they commence full-time schooling. These services may also be integrated with a school.

Primary contact: refers to a worker that mainly has direct contact with children. This may include but is not limited to teachers, teacher's assistants/aides, specialist teachers and therapists.
Other contact: refers to a worker that has some duties involving direct contact with children, but deals mainly with staffing or management issues such as supervising staff and handling queries from parents or designing the education program. This may include but is not limited to principals, deputy principals, centre managers and coordinators.
Management / administration: refers to a worker who mainly performed management or administration work that contributed to the running of the ECEC service and had no direct contact with children. Work may include clerical or receptionist duties, filing, keeping financial records, staffing and management issues.
Other work: refers to a worker who provides support services such as cooking, cleaning and gardening. This may include drivers, cooks, cleaners and maintenance staff.